Set of building elements for ridge roof models

ABSTRACT

A set of building components for the construction of a ridge roof model to a coordinate grid system on a reduced scale is disclosed. The ridge roof model is adapted to be mounted on and a support structure. The set includes roof panels having first edge sections which are adapted to be located in the region of the ridge of the assembled roof model and second edge sections which are spaced from the respective first edge sections and are adapted to be located in the region of the support structure when the roof model is mounted thereon. Each of the first edge sections is provided with spaced projections and recesses which are adapted to cooperate, respectively, with corresponding recesses and projections on another of the first edge sections so as to provide engagement between the roof panels at the ridge. Intermediate rafters, extending between the respective first and second edge sections, are provided on that major surface of each roof panel which is adapted to face downwardly when the roof model is assembled. Ridge elements are provided and are adapted to be mounted over the first edge sections. Purlin elements are also provided and are adapted to be mounted on the support structure at both sides of the ridge. The purlin elements are provided with grooves for slidingly receiving the respective rafters when the roof model is mounted on the support structure. Gutter bracket elements, gutter elements and chimney may also be provided.

United States Patent 1 1 Zucht [111 3,838,527 [451 Oct. 1,1974

[ 1 SET OF BUILDING ELEMENTS FOR RIDGE ROOF MODELS [76] Inventor: Peter Zucht, Ober-Ramstadter Str.

18, 6101 Reinheim/Odw., Germany [22] Filed: June 27, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 373,962

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Primary Examiner-Harland S. Skogquist Attorney, Agent, or FirmMichael S. Striker [57] ABSTRACT A set of building components for the construction of a ridge roof model to a coordinate grid system on a reduced scale is disclosed. The ridge roof model is adaptedto be mounted on a support structure. The set includes roof panels having first edge sections which are adapted to be located in the region of the ridge of the assembled roof model and second edge sections which are spaced from the respective first edge sections and are adapted to be located in the region of the support structure when the roof model is mounted thereon. Each of the first edge sections is provided with spaced projections and recesses which are adapted to cooperate, respectively, with corresponding recesses and projections on another of the first edge sections so as to provide engagement between the roof panels at the ridge. Intermediate rafters, extending between the respective first and second edge sections, are provided on that major surface of each roof panel which is adapted to face downwardly when the roof model is assembled. Ridge elements are provided and are adapted to be mounted over the first edge sections. Purlin elements are also provided and are adapted to be mounted on the support structure at both sides of the ridge. The purlin elements are provided with grooves for slidingly receiving the respective rafters when the roof model is mounted on the support structure. Gutter bracket elements, gutter elements and a chimney may also be provided.

8 Claims, 23 Drawing Figures SET OF BUILDING ELEMENTS FOR RIDGE ROOF MODELS The invention relates to a set of building elements for ridge roof models which may be assembled to a reduced scale in accordance with a co-ordinate grid system, particularly for models of buildings which can be assembled to the same grid scale.

Sets of building elements for models of buildings serve as building kits for planning purposes for use by architects and facilitate the creation of a spatial image for planning purposes; they are however also used for the demonstration of buildings and at exhibitions.

Generally speaking gabled or ridged roofs and the like are not modelled at all or one makes do with cardboard or the like which has been cut out appropriately. Apart from the fact that by these means the observer hardly receives a realistic impression of the complete building, such models are not stable and are cut out appropriately for one building model only. so that they are not usable for models of other dimensions.

An object of the invention is to create a set of building elements of the kind hereinbefore mentioned, which enables ridge roof models to be assembled according to a co-ordinate grid system in a manner conveying a realistic impression, and in which the roof gradient and also the plan of the roof may be varied according to the building model.

According to the invention, a set of building elements for such ridge roof models includes roof panels having co-operating edges formed with complementary spaced teeth for inter-engagement in comb-like manner at the ridge, ridge elements for mounting over inter-engaged roof panels and purlin elements adapted for mounting on a bearing member and having grooves for receiving intermediate rafters provided on the undersides of the roof panels so as to produce a non-positive sliding connection.

By virtue of the comb-like inter-engagement of the roof panels as well as the non-positive sliding connection of their intermediate rafters with the purlin elements. the angle subtended by the roof can be varied, the roof panels being at the same time slidably displaceable in the grooves of the purlin elements. Together with further building elements for the floors. walls etc., these building elements enable the creation of models which give a true impression of the building, and are of adequate stability, so that the roof can be removed from the building model for demonstration purposes.

Advantageously the roof panels have grooves in their co-operating edges for receiving tongues extending from the undersides of the ridge elements. which grooves extend in the direction of the intermediate rafters, whereby the stability of an assembled roof model is increased.

The roof panels in the direction of their line of fall may be provided along their edges with press-stud-like means, whereby a number of panels may be interconnected to form each side of the roof.

In order to enable the roof to be adapted to the different widths of a building model. the roof elements have on their undersides. lines of weakness extending parallel and at right-angles to the intermediate rafters, the spacing between these lines being so chosen that, for example. in the case of a building model constructed in accordance with the grid. the various possible widths as well as the various roof gradients met with in practice can be accommodated.

The purlin elements may have tongues on their undersides by means of which they may be inserted into margins of a bearing member. The bearing member is normally defined by the ceiling surface of abuilding model. The tongues are provided for cases in which the set of building elements. in accordance with the invention. is intended as a supplementary building set to a planning building set for building models where the two sets have the same grid system and where the ceiling surfaces have a grid groove for the tongues at their margins.

Rafters may be provided for the gable ends having longitudinal grooves on opposite faces thereof forrcceiving an intermediate rafter or the edge of a gable element respectively. The gable elements neednot be prefabricated. but may be in accordance with-the predetermined roof gradient. for example, cut out of stiff cardboard or a plastics sheet in the form of a triangle. whose limbs are received by the longitudinal grooves on the undersides of the rafters facing the gable.

Together with the mounted ridge elements. a very rigid roof model is thereby created, so that tongues on the purlin elements may be dispensed with. The roof gradient may readily and quickly be altered simply by changing over appropriately cut out gable elements. For the purpose of accommodating building models of different widths, the rafters also have lines of weakness.

Gutter brackets may be provided having slots for sliding them on to the ends of the intermediate rafters which are arranged to protrude beyond the purlins, and furthermore they may have apertures for receiving eyes extending from the gutters.

In order that the invention may be readily understood characteristics and advantages of one embodiment thereof will be explained in greater detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of the embodiment;

FIGS. 2a-d show different views of a roof panel; FIGS. 3a-d show different views of a ridge element;

FIGS. 4a-b show a purlin element in cross-section and longitudinal section;

FIGS. Sa-b show a gutter bracket in cross-section and in plan view;

FIGS. 6a-b show the side view of a gutter and a crosssection;

FIGS. 7a-b show a plan view and a cross-section of a rafter.

FIGS. Sa-f show different views of a chimney.

In FIG. I the bearing member is defined by the margin of a ceiling surface of a building model. assembled out of quadrilateral floor elements 1 of a planning set for building models. The upper faces of these elements are rabbeted, so that a grid of grooves is formed into which, for example. wall elements may be slid for the purpose of forming a storey. Into the grooves on 'the margin of the surface formed by the elements 1, marginal fillets 2 with L-shaped tongues may he slid, which are also rabbeted on their upper faces and which form a grid groove with the adjacent elements. By juxtaposing such elements. surfaces of any desired size may be created for floorand ceiling surfaces, which together with wall elements of appropriate height produce a scale model of the storeys of a building.

The embodiment of the ridge roof model described hereinafter by way of example has the same grid system as the building model, i.e. if the building model is altered by, for example, removal from one edge of two rows of floor elements of the floor surface the roof area and the roof may be correspondingly shortened by removing parts of the same width or breaking the roof off along lines of weakness adapted for the purpose.

Clearly it may also be used for known building models in which case it need not necessarily be sub-divided in accordance with the sub-divisions provided by the grid.

The roof is mounted on the ceiling surface shown in FIG. 1. It consistsof the roof panels 4, 4, which. on the one hand, inter-engage in comb-like manner at the ridge and, on the other hand, engage grooves of purlin elements 5 by intermediate rafters extending from their underside. The purlin elements have tongues on their underside by which they engage grid grooves formed by the floor elements 1 and the marginal fillets 2. At the gable ends, rafters 7 are provided which hold gable elements 8 in position. Gutter brackets 9 support a gutter which is made up of elements 10. At the ridge. the roof panels are overlapped by ridge elements 11. The roof panels are tile-like on their upper sides, so that, after mounting the chimney, a realistic impression of the model is conveyed to an observer.

As shown in FIG. 2a, the roof panes] 4, 4' are arranged opposite each other on either side of a roof and have co-operating edges for the ridge formed with complementary spaced teeth 13; the teeth 13 of the roof panels 4 engage the tooth gaps 14 of the roof panels 4. Furthermore, slots 15 and 15' are provided for the flush reception of tongues of the ridge elements, as will be explained later. Each roof panel has. on the upper side in the direction of the line of fall and along one edge a rabbeted fillet 16 with apertures 17 and along the other edge on the underside, a row of pegs 18 which engage the apertures 17 of an adjacent roof panel (FIG;

2b). By this means a press-stud-like connection of adjacent roof panels on either side of the roof is created, so that stable units are formed. The comb-like intervengagement of the two sides of the teeth i3 along the ridge enables the two sides of the roof to be hingedly relatively pivoted. On the underside of the roof panels, as shown in'FIG. 2b, intermediate rafters 19 extending in the direction of the line of fall are provided which engage grooves in the purlin elements to be described later.

The roof panels are of a width corresponding to a multiple of the elementary grid lengths. They have lines of weakness 20 (FIGS. 21). 2d) on their underside extending in the direction of the line of fall and also lines of weakness 21 (FIG. 2c) extending along the lower roof margins. In this way any desired length and width of the building model can be catered for.

In the region of the teeth I3 and tooth gaps 14 the upper side of the roof panels 4 and 4 is without any tile-like structure (FIG. 2a), so that the margins of the ridge elements may be rectilinearly constructed.

In accordance with FIGS. 31:, b the ridge elements 24 have a surface structure corresponding to two assembled ridge-tiles, as well as a perimeter (FIG. 3a) in the form of an arc of a circle and on the inside tongues 25 (FIGS. 3b, a) which are approximately in the form of gradient, the edges of the inserted ridge elements are caused to stand on the panels. For this purpose the edges of the ridge elements are inwardly rounded off.

FIG. 4a shows a purlin element 5 in cross-section. By means of a tongue 26 extending from its underside, it

protrudes into the grid groove formed by floor ele ments 1 and a marginal fillet 2 at the margin of the ceiling surface.

As shown in FIG. 4b. the purlin element has two grooves 27, each of which receives an intermediate rafter. The frontal end surfaces 28 of the purlin element are pent-roof shaped. their gradient corresponding to the flattest gradient of the roof, so that with this arrangement of the roof panels the latter rest on the frontal surfaces. whilst the bottom of the groove 27 has a trapezoidal outline and. in the case of the steepest roof gradient the front margin of the inserted intermediate rafter rests on the outer limb 29.

Referring to FIG. 5, the gutter bracket 30 has a strap 31 which is slid on to the end of the intermediate rafter. which protrudes over the purlin. by means of a longitudinal slot 32 having an open end 32'. The bracket portion 33 has a longitudinal aperture 34 (FIG. 5b).

The gutter 35 shown in FIG. 6 has pins 36 (FIG. 611) on its underside. by means of which it engages the longitudinal apertures of the gutter brackets. Since the length of the longitudinal apertures corresponds to a multiple of the diameter of the pins. the gutter can always be horizontally aligned for any desired roof gradient by slidably displacing it in the longitudinal apertures.

FIG. 7a shows the rafter referenced 7 in FIG. 1 to an enlarged scale. It has longitudinal grooves 37 and 38 (FIG. 7b). Depending on the length of the gable ends, a plurality of rafters are arranged one behind the other. Each longitudinal groove 37 receives an intermediate rafter 19, whilst the margin of the gable element 8 (FIG. 1) engages the groove 38.

If the roof model is placed on a building model which has no marginal grooves for receiving the tongues of the purlin elements, these tongues are removed, the gable elements engaging lateral grooves (not shown) in the adjacent purlin elements in an advantageous manner, so that the complete roof model forms a stable unit.

In accordance with FIGS. 8a-f the chimney to be mounted on the roof consists of a crown portion 40 and a mounting portion 41. The crown portion 40 is an upwardly open U-shaped stirrup, the centre portion of which, which connects its limbs together, has a structure whose underside is complementary to the roof surface. The limbs 42 and 43 are of substantially trapezoidal cross-section (FIG 8c) and each has a groove 44 opening to the upper margin. After the crown portion 40 has been secured to the roof surface, the mounting portion 41 is slid over both the stirrups, and inwardly directed eyes 45 of the portion 41 are received by the grooves 44 at the side faces 46, 47. The internal quadrilateral cross-section of the mounting portion (FIG. is so dimensioned, that it can be pivoted about the eyes and vertically aligned for any roof gradient. For this purpose the lower margin is made in the form of a polygon corresponding to the different roof gradients.

By means of the set of building elements'for ridge roofs in accordance with the invention all the ridge roofs occurring in practice can be reproduced in the form of true models. Together with a set of building elements for storeys and the like having the same grid system. it forms a complete planning building set which has the particular virtue of versatility regarding model varieties, and representation which is true to the original.

What we claim is:

l. A set of building components for the construction of a ridge roof model to a coordinate grid system on a reduced scale, said ridge roof model being adapted for mounting on a support structure, and said set comprising at least two roof panels each having a first edge section adapted to be located in the region of the ridge of the assembled roof model, and a second edge section spaced from the respective first edge section and adapted to be located in the region of said support structure when said roof model is mounted thereon. each of said first edge sections being provided with spaced projections and recesses adapted to cooperate. respectively, with the recesses and projections of the other of said first edge sections so as to provide engagement between said roof panels in the region of said ridge, and each of said roof panels having a major surface adapted to face downwardly when said roof model is mounted on said support structure and being provided with at least one intermediate rafter extending in a direction between the respective first and second edge sections; at least one ridge element adapted to be mounted over said first edge sections when said roof model is mounted on said support structure; and purlin elements adapted to be mounted on said support structure at both sides of said ridge, said purlin elements being provided with grooves for slidingly receiving the respective intermediate rafters when said roof model is mounted on said support structure.

2. A set as defined in claim 1, each of said first edge sections having at least one groove portion extending in said direction and being adapted to cooperate with a corresponding groove portion in the other of said first edge sections so as to define a continuous groove when said roof model is mounted on said support structure; and wherein said ridge element is provided with at least one protuberance adapted to be received in said continuous groove.

3. A set as defined in claim 1; further comprising at least two additional roof panels each of which is adapted to be located laterally adjacent one of said roof panels when said roof model is mounted on said support structure; and wherein each of said roof panels has a pair of third edge sections extending between the respective first and second edge sections; and coupling means for connecting respectively adjacent ones of said roof panels together. comprising male first coupling portions provided on some of said third edge sections. and cooperating female coupling portions provided on other of said third edge sections and each adapted to receive one of said male coupling portions with a snap action.

4. A set as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said major surfaces is provided with first breaking lines extending in said direction. and second breaking lines extending substantially normal to said direction.

5. A set as defined in claim 1. said support structure having a marginal portion provided with slots: and wherein said purlin elements are provided with protuberances adapted to be slidingly received in said slots.

6. A set as defined in claim 1; further comprising gutter bracket elements having slots adapted to slidingly receive said intermediate rafters. said gutter bracket elements also being provided with apertures; and gutter elements having protuberances adapted to be received by said apertures.

7. A set as defined in claim 1; further comprising gable ends having edges adapted to be upwardly directed when said roof model is mounted on said support structure; and elongated rafter elements each having two oppositely directed faces provided with a longitudinally extending groove, the longitudinal groove in one of the respective faces being adapted to receive one of said edges of said gable ends at least in part. and the longitudinal groove in the respective other face being adapted to receive one of said intermediate rafters.

8. A set as defined in claim 1; and further comprising a chimney element including a mounting portion. a crown portion adapted to be received in said mounting portion and to be mounted on said roof panels, and cooperating connecting means provided on said crown and mounting portions for pivotally connecting the 

1. A set of building components for the construction of a ridge roof model to a coordinate grid system on a reduced scale, said ridge roof model being adapted for mounting on a support structure, and said set comprising at least two roof panels each having a first edge section adapted to be located in the region of the ridge of the assembled roof model, and a second edge section spaced from the respective first edge section and adapted to be located in the region of said support structure when said roof model is mounted thereon, each of said first edge sections being provided with spaced projections and recesses adapted to cooperate, respectively, with the recesses and projections of the other of said first edge sections so as to provide engagement between said roof panels in the region of said ridge, and each of said roof panels having a major surface adapted to face downwardly when said roof model is mounted on said support structure and being provided with at least one intermediate rafter extending in a direction between the respective first and second edge sections; at least one ridge element adapted to be mounted over said first edge sections when said roof model is mounted on said support structure; and purlin elements adapted to be mounted on said support structure at both sides of said ridge, said purlin elements being provided with grooves for slidingly receiving the respective intermediate rafters when said roof model is mounted on said support structure.
 2. A set as defined in claim 1, each of said first edge sections having at least one groove portion extending in said direction and being adapted to cooperate with a corresponding groove portion in the other of said first edge sections so as to define a continuous groove when said roof model is mounted on said support structure; and wherein said ridge element is provided with at least one protuberance adapted to be received in said continuous groove.
 3. A set as defined in claim 1; further comprising at least two additional roof panels each of which is adapted to be located laterally adjacent one of said roof panels when said roof model is mounted on said support structure; and wherein each of said roof panels has a pair of third edge sections extending between the respective first and second edge sections; and coupling means for connecting respectively adjacent ones of said roof panels together, comprising male first coupling portions provided on some of said third edge sections, and cooperating female coupling portions provided on other of said third edge sections and each adapted to receive one of said male coupling portions with a snap action.
 4. A set as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said major surfaces is provided with first breaking lines extending in said direction, and second breaking lines extending substantially normal to said direction.
 5. A set as defined in claim 1, said support structure having a marginal portion provided with slots; and wherein said purlin elements are provided with protuberances adapted to be slidingly received in said slots.
 6. A set as defined in claim 1; further comprising gutter bracket elements having slots adapted to slidingly receive said intermediate rafters, said gutter bracket elements also being provided with apertures; and gutter elements having protuberances adapted to be received by said apertures.
 7. A set as defined in claim 1; further comprising gable ends having edges adapted to be upwardly directed when said roof model is mounted on said support structure; and elongated rafter elements each having two oppositely directed faces provided with a longitudinally extending groove, the longitudinal groove in one of the respective faces being adapted to receive one of said edges of said gable ends at least in part, and the longitudinal groove in the respective other face being adapted to receive one of said intermeDiate rafters.
 8. A set as defined in claim 1; and further comprising a chimney element including a mounting portion, a crown portion adapted to be received in said mounting portion and to be mounted on said roof panels, and cooperating connecting means provided on said crown and mounting portions for pivotally connecting the same. 